.Net MVC Create and Edit database using different validation rules

Question

I am new to .Net MVC.

Currently due to server specification, i am using MVC 4 and Visual Studio 2012 for Web.

I am using entity framework for CRUD operation.

My problem is, i am a bit confused with how to specify different validation rules for create and edit operation:

My class is something like this: public class Outlet { [Key] public int outletID { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(10)]
    public string outletCode { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(100)]
    public string outletName { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(50)]
    public string outletAreaManager { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(200)]
    public string outletAddress { get; set; }

    [StringLength(20)]
    public string outletUnitNo { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(6)]
    public string outletPostalCode { get; set; }

    [StringLength(10)]
    public string outletPhoneNo { get; set; }
}

When the user create new outlet, they are able to key in all the field, but when do want to edit the outlet, some field like OutletCode, outletAreaManager is uneditable and not displayed in the form and due to some security reason, i couldn't store it in the hiddenfield, what is the best way to do it? I means how to code it when updating to database? if i use ModelState.isValid, it will trigger the required attribute for outletCode and outletAreaManager.

Thanks in advance.

HitLikeAHammer HitLikeAHammer · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-21T23:31:50

You say you are using EF for the database. The class above looks like a View Model class. I assume you are mapping between your entity class and this view model class.

In order to accomodate different rules you should create two different classes. To avoid duplicae code where the rules are the same between them create a base class then two dervied classes that implement the differences.

Something like this perhaps:

public class OutletBase { 

    [Key] 
    public int outletID { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(100)]
    public string outletName { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(200)]
    public string outletAddress { get; set; }

    [StringLength(20)]
    public string outletUnitNo { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(6)]
    public string outletPostalCode { get; set; }

    [StringLength(10)]
    public string outletPhoneNo { get; set; }
}


public class OutledCreate : OutletBase
{
        [Required]
        [StringLength(10)]
        public string outletCode { get; set; }

        [Required]
        [StringLength(50)]
        public string outletAreaManager { get; set; }

}

public class OutletEdit : OutletBase      {
}

.Net MVC Create and Edit database using different validation rules

3 Answers